SPRING WHEAT PRODUCTION Spring Wheat Other Than Durum. Growers produced an estimated 755 million bushels (20.4 million metric tons), up 50 percent from the 1991 production and up 29 percent from 1990. Yield averaged 41 bushels per acre, up 8.4 bushels per acre from 1991. Area harvested totaled 18.7 million acres (7.3 million hectares), 24 percent greater that the 15.1 million acres (6.2 million hectares) in 1991. Seeding of the spring wheat ranged greatly from early in some of the drier areas to later than normal. The early seeded wheat encountered slow emergence due to abnormally cold conditions after the seeding and snow. This was followed by dry conditions until after heading. The cool wet weather that followed in July, August and September caused secondary tillers which filled with grain band greatly enhanced yield, but were very slow to mature and caused harvest delays. Wheat planted somewhat later than normal was not stressed and produced very high yields with high test weight. The crop was slow to mature and rain cause further delays in harvest. Some wheat in the swath had sprout damage and some frost damage occurred in Northwestern Minnesota. Disease in general was not a major factor of yield reduction in general, although local areas encountered scab and leaf rust. Yields were very high with North Dakota setting record yield of 42 bu/A. Minnesota had the second highest yield on record with 50 bu/a estimated. South Dakota wheats were more stress, but yields were very good at 34 bu/A. Because of the high yields, protein was relatively low and baking quality lower than desirable. The 1992 Spring Wheat Crop The Statistical Reporting Service, USDA, preliminary report: SPRING WHEAT OTHER THAN DURUM Acres (1000) Yield (BU/A) Bushels (1000) --------------------- -------------------- ---------------------- State 1990 1991 1992 1990 1991 1992 1990 1991 1992 ------ ----- ----- -------------------- ---------------------- Minnesota 2,750 2,070 2,800 49.0 31.0 50.0 134,750 64,170 137,500 Montana 2,450 2,400 2,560 23.0 34.0 30.0 56,350 81,860 73,500 North Dakota 7,700 6,850 9,200 36.0 31.0 42.0 277,200 212,350 382,210 South Dakota 2,100 1,750 2,700 32.0 28.0 34.0 67,200 49,000 85,000 USA 15,875 15,100 18,698 36.9 33.4 41.8 585,864 504,565 755,100